car is nice and warm, but that won’t last long, so when you get cold, come in. Don’t sit here and freeze.”
His lips twitched. “I’m fifteen, not five. I won’t let myself freeze to death.”
She nodded, finding humor in what he said but unable to actually smile. “Okay. Don’t forget to lock the doors.”
He rolled his eyes. “Aunt Janie, I’m six-two—way too big to be kidnapped. You’re more at risk than I am.”
She had no idea how he could find it in him to be sarcastic at a time like this, but she was grateful for it. “Right. Sometimes I forget how old you are,” she said, patting him on the shoulder.
His grin fell as he stared straight ahead at the bar, his expression changing faster than the winds were blowing around them. His profile was hard, the angles of his jaw reminding her of a man, not a boy anymore. She still wasn’t used to it.
“Remember,” she said, giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze, “if he doesn’t turn out to be…what we’re hoping for, it’s okay. We have each other, and we’ll be okay.”
Will kept staring straight ahead. “We already know he’s a jerk. I just don’t want him to yell at you or something. I think I should go in with you now.”
Her nephew had a maturity that surpassed his fifteen years, and she worried that he’d had to grow up too fast. She was going out on a limb, on a wish, on a prayer, that someone could finally come through for them, for him. He deserved that. She’d given up on wishes long ago, but for Will, she’d put her heart out there again, make one more wish, and at least take the financial worry off their plates. As much as she tried to fake that they were okay and that she had everything under control, he was too old and too smart to buy that anymore.
“Don’t worry about me,” she said. “I can take care of myself. Besides, you’ll be my backup in a few minutes anyway. And hey, if he kicks us out, well then, we get a room for the night and order pizza and talk about our plan B. Nothing changes for us.”
He ran his hands through his hair and let out a rough sigh. “I want things to change, Aunt Janie. For you. I want you to finish Veterinary College. I want you to have an easier life. It’s not fair you got stuck with me.”
He turned to her, his stormy blue eyes glistening, and emotion tightened her throat. “I’m not stuck with you,” she said firmly. “I love you. I don’t know where I’d be without you, Will. I don’t regret a thing.”
He gave her a lopsided grin. “Okay.”
A loud meow from the back of the car reminded her to hurry up. “Morris, you have to be good,” she said, turning to face the lion-sized feline in the backseat. Morris was twenty pounds of giant cat and had taken on the role of co-parent ever since she’d brought the stray home. He stared at them with his green eyes and let out an even louder meow. More like a yowl.
“Are you taking him in with you?” Will said in a strangled voice.
“Of course. He can be my bodyguard.” She quickly slipped Morris’s harness and leash on. As far as cats went, Morris operated more like a dog.
A few moments later, she and Morris walked up the snow-covered steps of the saloon, already shivering from the bitter wind and frigid temperature. The old porch was rustic, and the wood creaked slightly as they walked across, trying to avoid the snow drifts. She paused, realizing this was her last chance to reconsider, and then glanced back at her parked car, but the heavy snowfall made eye contact impossible . Will was counting on her. She had to do this.
Janie pushed the door open, and warmth flooded her cold face, her glasses fogging as she entered the empty saloon. Once they cleared, she took in the room. Round wooden tables filled most of the large space with two levels of seating. There were pool tables dotted around and televisions mounted to the walls, along with black-and-white photos of Wishing River through the years. A massive, old-looking but polished mahogany bar spanned almost the entire length of one side of the saloon, and round wooden stools butted up against a brass footrail.
“Sorry, we’re closed for the night!” a man shouted. “I’m just about to